Six Men Charged In 10 Robberies Over Two Months

March 8, 1986|By Peter Aronson, Staff Writer

BOYNTON BEACH — Police have charged six Boynton Beach men, four of whom are related, in a string of 10 robberies committed over two months.

Police said the men, all from the Cherry Hill neighborhood of Boynton Beach, usually would approach a gas station or convenience store in a car, on a bicycle or on foot. They would rip a purse from a customer or shove a gun -- in one instance a beer bottle in a bag posing as a gun -- in the face of an employee, police said.

``Usually it was crime of chance. They`d ride by and say let`s do it,`` Sgt. Paul Sheridan said.

Walter Thomas, 22, of the 400 block of Northwest 12th Avenue, was charged Thursday with one count of armed robery, three counts of strong-armed robbery and four counts of grand theft. Tommy Hunter, 20, of the 1000 block of Northwest 4th Street, was charged with two counts of armed robbery, one count of strong-armed robbery and three counts of grand theft. Willie Hunter, 18, of the 500 block of Northwest 12th Avenue, was charged with one count of armed robbery and one count of grand theft.

Eugene Hunter, 24, of Route 1, of Delray Beach, was charged with one count of grand theft. Carl Alonzo Johnson, of the 500 block of Northwest 13th Avenue, was charged with one count of armed robbery and one count of grand theft. Humberto Martinez, 27, of the 500 block of Southeast 4th Street, faces one count of strong armed robbery and one count of grand theft.

Sheridan said all but Johnson admitted to the crimes Thursday when they turned themselves in at various times during the day. He said Johnson was identified by his accomplices and a victim.

He said all the crimes were drug-related.

``This coke rock has come on the scene, and it is really messing people up,`` Sheridan said.

He said none of the $2,018 stolen in the 10 robberies was recovered because the money was spent on drugs as soon as it was stolen.

It took a week-long investigation to crack the ring, Sheridan said. He would not say specifically what led to the arrests.

``We just did some investigating through sources on the street,`` he said.